^—

■ I

Coogan’s “Killing’ A COMPLETE NOVELETTE

Hy

Ben Ames Williams

|t :: .cd A! Hu.— a rrtmt )ock») nno the _ vjri -.x^aJonallT Inrpude* u ,cer oi thf r*ee*. I h*ve . nain philoeoptay tn three ! no longer hope to irln. I j. i;,id wtth the niental com the wagered money Is ;,!Hl If by Chance It come* heck ^ »i!h other money edded unto it. a ..... j clear and unexpected gain. Pa, ... ..nonately that atJdom oc- ^ Howerer, I -m oontont. for tf iT, jdvice cost me money. AJ-a «ooha* enriched m: memory event* and Inddenta of atraagdy fliivor*. . h.,1 nerer heard of Uly White. w -Circus Home." nor of Voeee fny.n who owend her, till that day ; came into my o Jce, hi* round 1 Bnic face so like that of a Tery 1 a-ipU. d cherub, ^teaming with high He looked about, with an exo' nution. leaned aero** my deax isd whispered: -Slip the string off the old B. R-. I tc, for I rot the low down on a rod tti;coming out of pickle at Jamaica

ImU> "

-Toe don’t eayr 1 exclaimed. "Tell w *b(iat It. Al." -Uly White tn the fourth." be told I picked up the morning Aerrv paph from my desk to look at the J rrprrt pi.-klnga for the day. Not one 1 of the dopestem gave Idly White an l-ecpiw chance. ! "She ourbt to be at a price." I rel Ba'k.d. trying to appear wise and

! **r»

[ "Million to once." Al whlapered [ mjerl}: ’ and ab-Bo4ute4y sure. I got [ it strakht from the owner." I^i "Friend of your*?" j -Y.:!. Mosc Coo ran.'’ •Muse—which?" I inquired In mild rerpi'-. . Al ernned. He came by the *lfoee’ honest. 1 rues*," he s*ld. "Bat he torrowi'd the ’Coogun’ from a cop or tonietiiiig." And the Lily—" I prompted. “Hi got her for a badge-horse last santii’T when everybody thoarht she »»* done for, and the rest through tfcs "inter put her In ehapo. She's he-T. K.ting np the track In her work* *nd now- ah"’* At to mtole down he wr-irh ahead of the best of ’em.” He might have been begging for h..t life, t:. wa* so anxious for me tn share In ih* rood thing. I handed him a bill Place this for me. will you?" did. And Lily White, after hiding easily to the six furlong pole •-it w*v a mile race—wont dead lame : 'inidied last. ’I'ric. *i«>lled if said AL disgusted!; when he wandered tn the nett d*> ’i got cleaned myself.” suppose Coogan lost heaHly.” snorted. "Not him." he said. -Prir.- was only four to dee. Everyt*'i' was wise, so he had Dot Harria 1*1! h-r up at the three-quarters. He * ' jldn’t let her win at leas’n 10 to 1. *' '*'* He tried to get word to me off of lu but he couldn't find puffed ..ympatneticaily at onr clcaretteg, and finally Al rose wearily ’ • as If to go. i-v we’ll clean np on her next lu promised. "You’n- broke, you aay?* I askod: !■* rrinned sheepishly. When he ^ ' mv he was in fund* again. That was my Introduction to Mo»* ‘"own and Lily White; and since credulity la my vice. I ventured a L -’ on her next start, and her next. ;r '' her next Ekch ttmr the price short, and each time ahe went ! "' *' the three-quarters and fln- ■ i-i last. And so 1 lost Interest: bui ; long lime afterward, when LHr ' Vlil '*’ Onally won a race—In a way— 1 b'-ard from Al. and from C-<ogan l" 1 ” if—who told every one often— from the Jockey. Dock Harris, i.resting story of Coogan'* "am wa* under s handicap from •'.omeul he became an owner of —or of one race-horse. ■ ->"e three kind* of men who " ■and horses: whi'e men born Mason and Dixon'* line, nei : <! Irlmhuien. who understand .'■'iilng. Scaitrrtng Utalances out-

for example. Boon perceived a chance for I-roBt for nlmself. If hi i eglected to notify hi* chief that he had received a wager, and if the maker of that wager lo*L then Coogan could •al >ly pocket the money. If the -aakcr of the wager won. Coogan would he foned to make up the acooun! from his iwn funds. Bit It is not of tne fundamental truth i In connection with horse-rac-ing tl at most horses always lose, and all hi rses usually lose. Coogan began tn “stand" on the wagers handed him ind In a mixture of luck and camp mathematic*—well, after time he was able to branch out as a b iok-maker on his o And he prospered. Hli first visit to a race track, the Irkaoiie necessity of paying admission rM the opportunity to svoi . that lecesblty by buying for a song, a brr hen-down ‘horoughhred, and thu esta wishing himself In the status of owbit, suon brought Mm Into possess. w of LUy White. But Hams did l 'e rest. Do; Harris was a skillful but Indls- ,«»* Jockej. On one or two Important occasions he bad casnally nr--lected to I'try out the Instruct! of the man for rrhom be was riding. As e resale engagements were few and far between. When be happend on the stable where Lily White was housed, on* day. and saw her morning workout, his eyes bulged, he sought Mose-Coo-gan. ai*d the plot was laid They might have made their killing on Lily’s first race, but Hose talked, the "good thing’ spread, and the odds went down to little or nothing . it war on that race I lost my first bet -under Al Hayes’ advice sn' counsel. Thereafter follow ed a long series of races. In each of which Uly wont lame at the three-quarters pole, while Coops n waited for the “price to be right,” till at length the time airived. the day dawned, his dr ision wras made. The boy with the telegram found Coogan at Uly White's stall; and Coogan thrust his thumb under the fap of the yellow envelope, read the meeKage and grinned. It wa* from Jerry Hart, whom he had left In charge of hi* bankbook In Nev York. It readSee Uly entered today. Does she

go?

Coogan turned to the waiting boy Send this,” he dlreried. and scriobicti on the margin of the telegriph blank: Keep your shirt on. HI wlae you up when the time comes. Then he counted the words and acratcbed out "up” and "the” and ci-unted them rruin. Coogan never wasted money on extra words in a telegram. The boy started awar and Coogan called him hark. He had derided not to be both red by any more of those pestlferoi.. .qulric- from Jerry Hart or any Cher frienas. Coogan didn’t mind lying by word of mouth, but be hated to go on record in a telegram. •TeH 'em not to deliver any more messages to me till the fifth is off," be directed curtly. The boy grunted a*sent and trudged away. Dot Harris—hl» nickname was a tribute to his lack of stature—was rubbing down Uly WhlU'e slender legs In the stall, end Coogan leaned over the door and watched him. and thought of Jerry Hart and grinned. He had promised to let Jerry lr on the good thing when Uly go; ready to win: and he had made the same premise to other friends. But wrhat's a promL-e between friends? If he told Jerry. Jerry would tell some one else and the price would go head over heel* again To be sure. Jerry, and other* who belli red Coogan. had lost heavily or Uly** early start* when Coogan’s order* prevented her winning, but that dJd not disturb Jerry Coogan. That was tehir lookout "They spoiled the price on roe once.” he reminded himself. “Never again.” Dot looked up slyly. "Do we get 'em today, boss?" he asked husiily. Coogan shook his head. "Not ripe yet.” he said.. “Wail till the odd* Is Dot giinned In comprehension.

Coc-gwi did not understand horses. Coogan did not give the wjrd to Dot Harris until Uly White was saddled and the little Jockey bad been Mfted to her hack. Then he pulled Dot down and whispered to him: "Go get 'em. This is the day.” The Jockey turned gray with disappointment and disgust. "Aaw. aay. boss.” be protested. "Wby’n’t you vi*e me upr Here I ain’t got a'Sou down on her." “Thass all right.” Coogan i sored him hurriedly. -There’ a bundled riding for you—In Chi” "On the square? “Ain't I always been on the square with you. Dot?” •hhe Jockey's face lighted wtth relief. "You’re on. boss.” he promised. And Coogan left him and made for the betting ring. What he saw when he arrivsd was pleasing, for on the blackboards around the ring the price on Uly White ranged uniform—15 1. But almost at once he was stirred by a momentary alarm. From some outside source money wa* beginning to come In on Uly White. Coogan saw a man whom be knew as the agent for a pttuburg bookmaker place $200 on the horse: and the man who took that bet swept that fifteen to one down ip twelve to one. and others la the ring forthwith following salt. A moment later another flood of Uly White money knocked the price to ten. and then to eight to one. Coogan’s mind sought an expedient, found one. and took heroic measures. He drew from bis pocket what funds be h him. strode openly acrost the ring to that bookmaker who set the pace for the others, and with some ostentation placed $500 on Black Noee. the favorite, to win. The crowd saw him. Men sought hi* elbow eagerly. eUmoring for infonnr.tion. He shook them off -ngrtly. with well-almnlated disgust. And they were satisfied, each with hi* own Interpretation of the Incident. ’Hs bet was enough for them. The track money that h.*d wavered oward Uly White flooded to Black Nose again, and the flood increased, and the Pittsburg bookmaker's Rcent. studied Coogan, then harried to a telegraph o ce. The price on Uly White crept back to ten to one. but the crow,. Ignored her cow. In the Jnal rush before poet time she was forgotten save for some i-utside money that came in and failed break the price. The great bulk of the money was on Black Nose to win. The liooks Closed with Uly White at ten to one—end that price would rule the paying off of wagers throughout the country. Coogan computed his fortunes In his mind as he brushed through the rowd toward the rail. And “She onghta been twenty to one,” he grum-

bled.

He figured to win close to $50,000. lie decided; and Uly White would win -of course. Coo sen trembled with a sudden rush of aprehenskm, reassured himself, and turned a steady gambler's face oward where the horse* were bunching for the start—a sixteenth of a mile down the track. They wer< prancing at the barrier; In a moment they would he off in that first whirlwind rush. Ten to one on five tbouI—fifty thousand—minus his five hundred on Black . Nose—forty-five thousand clear. Coogan’* heart wa* like wa'ir, and his ajs were moist be considered that goodly sum. It bad taken some scraping to raisi; the noney he had bet; It had left the

lIStm" *«5»

IvMEirattt. Im.,1 Ulstftili.

Don'-. Sell Your Old Tires

0

: reason- of his New York bahkboo’ til but bare. He saw a Hash In the suit where the horses were plrotlur and wheeling and mincing at the barrier; then In a welter of dust, at the tune of a g ioar from the crowded utarda behind and above Mm, the gleamier forms leaped into actoln and plunged down (he track toward him. Coogan yelled. Every man about him yelled. He yelled and screamed. He did not feel the teg at his elbow till the horse* had flashed pas', the stand and begun to turn, fhtn be gave attention to the boy su-ndlng there. The boy handed him three telegrams. ’They s*id they was Important. Mr. Coogan.” the hoy announced. "But I waited like you .said” Coogan did not even hear. Eyes on the horses rounding the first turn, he ripped open the envelope, pulled out cn- message and gave it a swift glance. Chicago wants to play off one thouaand two hundred dollars cc LUy.” It read. It was signed "Jerry" —Jerry Hart. Jerry w*s running Coogan> book in New York. The purport of that brief message camhome to Ctogan suddenly, and his heart all hut stopped. He forgot the htraes beating down the track for a moment and looked at the second

They waut to play off seven thousand three hundred dollars on Uly." it read. “Shall > take it? And the

That figure wrote Itself Indelibly on Cocgac's mind In the barest traction of Ume. He had had five thousand they were offering seven thousand three hundred dollars. That must Include his motley, and there must be other bevy betting on LUy In th» west. He frit cold drops trickle down ochind his ear* and Into bis eyes. “If she wins now." he gasped under his brea.h. 'Tm out over twenty thousand—busted." The wind went out of him. be collapsed against the rail, his staring eyes sought the horses across the field. LUy White was far In the lead and passing the half mile. She would win. He knew she would win; and the dreadful completene** of his ruin paralysed him. Automat' rally he looked at the third telegram. "Dr t.Jce them plays?” It asked. Coupon went mUdly insane. He consigned Jerry, with a burst uf vivid language to eternal flrer. Then the anger went out of him and he pitied himself so that he wept. He felt nil alone In the world—helpless, stripped of fri-.-nd* funds, everything. Then a loader roar from the great to rone in the vtands caught him out of himself. captured his attention, forced him to watch the race again. Uly White was a dear five lengths : n the lead ud going strong. Coogan .-came sick. He groaned. Those beside him. even whUe they screamed entreaties to the horse that carried their hopes, edged aside to give him air; and he clur.g to the rail like a drunken man Also, he prayed, furthermore, he cursed. He heat the air with fata lists. His lamentation.ere terrible to hear. He called on Dot Han is to pull up Uly. He urged Uly to drop dead in her stride. He besought Providence

to knock her on the head with an ax. He begged the other horses In the race, by name, to come on and beat her. He commanded her legs to break beneath her. Ami as a last. rfe-ort be suggexted to the earth that ft epen before her and swallow her forBut Uly sped smoothly on, seven, eight lengths In the lead. She wa* nearing the six furlong role, where in so many other races she bad faltere'’. limped, and drooped tack In the ruah. Coogan n nerer thought of that; but he heard a man beside him tell his neighbor: “Now shell go lame, and Black Nosell come through.” Coogan stiffened ,n sadden hope, and broke Into frantic bellowlngr. "1 here she goes! There’s the end! her drop back! There she come on you Black noee! Look at What'd I tell you ? He clapped Coogan tremendously between the shoulders. The crowd about and above them In the stands were bowling, singing, shouting bellowing like maniacs. And ^>e burden of their song was— “Black Nose! Black Noee! Come on you! Come on." Coogan lifted up hie voice and Joined the chorus, and his screams topped all the others. He pleaded, he begged and he Implored. "Drop dead! Drop dead! be ■ manded his Uly. Come on you Black Noee!" be shouted. Uly flashed past the slx-furlong pole; and again a boy tugged Coogan's elbow. Ano.her telegram. He pressed it Into Coogan's hand. Co grin scarcely knew; he was watching Uly. Three strides past the pole she pu!l»d up with a terrific limp and dropped back toward the others as a atone drops down a well. “Ol-yol!” screamed Coogan In utter Joy. then held his breath. Back went Uly. and back and back. Coogan did not ask himself how the thing was happening. He had never heard that a horse may acquire a habit. He only aaw Uly White as she bad done so often before, stumbling and limping a!ong, while Black Nose pulled up on her and passed. Do: Harris seemed to be using the whip like mad. but then Dot always seemed to he do|- ~ that wbdn Lily went lame. Coogan. In o-.erwjielm-Ing relief, saw only that Lily was third, now fourth. In the scurvy of horses rounding the far turn. Continued on opposite page)

[fire tjourteefTO

in dancer C

fw

Will a* (a« »/ IcilA. B ro* ■ grioitt farO ntEC. AJ*KX HKMKDIRS CO. Mte B, SO WV.I (-orara M Buffalo. X. X.

Po»t. We May Save - You By Kxpert Re-treading. Dor.bJetreading or Vulcanizing If beyond repair, ne will lair]

I IRK & REPAIR i

$3

CLEVELAND

Week Lavs j'

wjo I,

Templar The Superfine Small Car The Rakish “Sportette” The dtsign of the Templar “Sportette" is infused with originality, anil has the mark of distinction engraved in every handsome line. It’s low-bung, gracetui and daring: the summary of notorjngstyle;with club chair over-upholstery in smooth black leather full aluminum body bronze, windshield set at a rakish angle.

Davenport Motor Co. DISTRIBUTER 723 North Broad St. Service Station: 1718--22 Wood St

ReClassificalion Sale of Perry Overcoats and Suits Four Lines at One Price $45, $50. $55, $60, Now $40 A sale^where we’re the^anvil and you’re the hammer. You win—we lose. A new deal of cards, in which the luck runs all one way. A refrrouping of solid, substantial merchandise, uniformly priced at a figure which is awav under present worth and still more under cost of duplication. Your size guaranteed. The quicker you buy the bigger your CHOICE OVERCOATS in Single and double-breasted models. Ulsters, Ulsterettes, Conservatives. S U I T S in staple colors and novelty patterns, two and three button models, now at— ONE* UNIFORM Price, $40 1 Trousers Specials | $6.50 Trousers...$3.50 ■ : Bit Values $6.00 ! PERRY & CO. “N. B. T.” 16th 5c Chestnut Sts. PHILADELPHIA PA.